It Starts With Monday
by xXxLadyFreakyStyleyxXx
Summary: This is a little while after Numbuh 274 leaves KND, in this story he doesn't join the adults and turn evil. He joins the group of teens that keep their memories and helps them from the inside. While on his way to school Chad can't help but notice how some teens had cornered a girl and feels the need to help, little did he know their chance meeting would lead to much more. 274xOC
1. Monday

It Starts With Monday: A KND Fanfic

**A/N: This...this is for everyone who had a little girl crush (as I call them ^\\\^') on Numbah 274 before he became a total butt trap :P**

**Just to be clear as well as avoid confusion; this is a 274xOC story in which Numbah 274 is a teenager but he joined that cool group of kids who still get to help the KND even after they become teenagers. I was never sure if he got to be a part of that group because I never really finished the series as a whole but I saw the last episode, although I remember next to nothing about it ^^'**

**Anywho, I hope you enjoy this fic!**

Chapter One: Monday

Chad found himself feeling a bit low as he laid in the soft grass near the edge of the creek. He let out a small sigh as he stared up at the clouds that were lazily passing through an almost darkened sky. This was usually a place that would give him a good peace of mind, help him clear his head and relax. At the moment however, he found this not to be the case. This time he felt more stressed than ever and it was because of one thing, er well, one person to be exact.

It all started at the beginning of the week. Monday started like any other for the teen, the sun along with the obnoxious buzzing of his alarm proved to rudely awaken him from his peaceful slumber and kickstart his day. Junior high school was a lot different then elementary school, everything was stricter as well as monitored. There were teachers on every corner watching for misbehaving teens such as himself. You couldn't so much as think mischivievously without a teacher getting all up on your case about it, or at least that's how he felt.

Chad never really liked being a teenager, even though he got to keep his memory of being a KND member and remain a liable and active agent for the organization, he wished he could have stayed a kid. Being a teenager brought on so much responsibility. Not only did be have six times the homework he had before but along with that he had to keep up with the various clubs and extra-curriculars his parents forced him to be a part of. Sometimes the weight was too much to bare and it drove him insane having so much expected of him. He wished he could quit it all and just do what he wanted to do but he knew his parents would never allow it.

It seemed that ever since he could remember his life had been planned out for him and he had no say in the matter. The blonde teen huffed out an irritated breath as he slid his backpack on and headed out the door of his house to the red bicycle that awaited him, securely fastened to his mailbox with a bike chain and combination lock.

"Go easy on me Monday." He mumbled to himself as he threw his leg of the other side of the bike and began peddling across the asphalt all in one swift movement.

He had fallen into this routine after he started going to junior high, refusing to take the bus with all the other loud and annoying teenagers he went to school with. Although while he was at school he had to pretend to have interest in participating in their shenanigans as well as cultivating a small group of friends so he wouldn't stick out so much. Unfortunately in doing so and, being as multi-talented as he was, he had done exactly what he didn't want to do. His success in nearly every social attribute he had attempted made him 'the cool guy on campus' and the constant attention was nothing but an utter nuisance. He grunted in distaste as he thought about how after he made quarter back for the football team he couldn't get a moments peace for quite some time whether it be a dull-minded team mate or a chattery cheerleader.

"Hey check out the new kid on the block guys!" The neanderthal-like voice interrupted his thoughts and pulled his gaze toward a group of dimwitted teenage boys that were encompasses around something.

He couldn't see what but he slowed his pedaling nonetheless to catch a glimpse of the object of their attention. Chad skidded to a full stop as he finally caught sight of what exactly they had gathered around. It was a girl. She looked to be maybe eleven or twelve he wasn't sure but one thing he was sure of, she looked very nervous despite the confident stance she had taken. He did recognize the boys though.

A bunch of menaces that would patrol the streets for unsuspecting kids and terrorize them until they would scarcely ever come outside. There were three of them, on their way to the bus, but they had stopped off to harass this young girl. Not able to resist the chance to scare another kid no doubt. It made him sick. He knew better than to get involved but his legs as well as his pride betrayed him as he hopped off his bike and hid it in a nearby bush before approaching the scene.

One of them was on the football team with him and noticed the blond out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey Chad, check out the fresh meat." He said deviously motioning to the girl.

The girl scowled at the teen and clenched her fists tighter. Chad tried his hardest not to frown at the fact that she had probably grouped him with the rest of these neighborhood bullies. However, he felt his disdain pull the corners of his mouth downward but he shook it off immediately.

"Wanna mess with her a little before school?" His team mate asked.

"Yeah, we got time." Another said eying her mischievously.

"Try it teenager, don't think I won't fight back!" She growled.

Chad's brow raised at her vigor, she looked so fragile but her voice said otherwise. She sounded strong willed and full of a zeal that could run circles around any teenager in this group. He looked over at his peers and they seemed unamused. The one who was his teammate, Richie, stepped forward and grabbed the collar of her shirt and lifted her off the ground. He smiled wryly as she struggled to release herself to no avail.

"Those are some strong words girlie, think you can back 'em up?"

Chad looked to her and couldn't help the eager glint he was sure was in his eyes as he waited for her answer. Much to his dismay she faltered as her legs dangled helplessly above the ground. The boys chuckled while Chad just stayed stoic and watched from behind the scenes, deciding it would be wise for him to get involved only if completely necessary.

"Ah, go fall down a well!" She retorted after a moment of what he assumed to be planning.

Quickly, she leapt into action without skipping a beat. Swinging her legs back to give her enough momentum she rammed her feet into the brute's chest and he released her immediately to grab at his now bruised chest. The other two growled low in their throats and closed in on her. Her eyes darted from one to the other as if she were trying to think of another move on the fly. It was too late though, before she could land another blow on her captors they had grabbed both her arms and held her firmly while their ring leader approached her slowly, like a predator closing in on it's kill.

Struggling as much as her strength would allow, she pulled violently at the grip on her arms but it was no use.

"You got spunk kid, too bad that doesn't matter to me." Richie sneered before pulling his fist back.

The girl's eyes widened at the attack position and she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for it to be over. Now was the time to intervene. Chad walked briskly to his teammate and put a firm grasp on the boy's wrist, lowering the appendage from it's intimidating pose much to Richie's discontent.

"Hey Chad what gives?" He asked impatiently.

The blonde quickly spun a lie in his head to assure the kid's safety.

"Mr. Jenner's getting ready to work on his lawn." He said in a low voice, pointing over to an older man across the street that was heaving his lawn mower out of his garage.

Richie nodded at him knowingly and motioned for his cohorts to release the kid. The two begrudgingly released the girl, harshly pushing her to the ground.

"Thanks for the head's up Chad, see ya at school." Richie turned to the girl and smirked evilly. "And we'll see you some other time."

The girl scowled at the teen and spat at his feet, her frown growing deeper when she missed his shoes. Richie chuckled at her and motioned for his friends to follow after him as he began to walk to the corner farther up the road. Her gaze immediately turned toward Chad, getting into offensive mode when he looked toward her.

"You gonna make your move pretty boy?" She hissed at him.

Chad shook his head hurriedly.

"What? No! Listen kid, I know those guys are a bunch of real jerks but don't count me with them. I have nothing against you so don't make me out to be an enemy."

The girl looked at him suspiciously, not really trusting him at first but then she caught his eyes. Her scowl softened into a thin line, her mouth slightly ajar for a second before she closed it quickly to keep herself from gawking at the blonde teen. Her cheeks grew warm at the intensity of his gaze and she diverted her eyes to the ground.

"Alright teenager, I believe ya." She mumbled shyly.

Chad smirked at her knowingly, amused at how quickly his boyish looks had diminished her gusto. He knew that, for whatever reason, he attracted girls like flies to honey and this girl, no matter how rough and tumble she was, was no different. He watched as she made her way to a hedge where the teens must have chucked her backpack into. She stretched on her tip toes to reach the worn leather messenger bag and saw a small frown pull at her lips as she pulled leaves and sticks from the openings they had lodged themselves into upon impact. Chad walked over to the bush where he had hidden his bike and pulled the small transport out of the foliage and swung his leg over to the other side and was about to pedal when he noticed something that made him uneasy.

That girl was starting to walk off in the same direction as the teens had gone and that was something that alarmed him. He pedaled after her and cut her off as he skid onto the pavement in front of her.

"Hey kid what are you nuts? That's the junior high bus stop you're headed toward." Chad said, concerned at her choice of path.

She bit her lip in hesitation before answering him.

"I know," She said. "But that's where the Gallagher Elementary bus stop is too."

Chad notices the discomfort and anxiety that flickered through her spring green eyes and feels slightly compelled to ease her worries. He groans inwardly at the effort he's about to expend before he offers the service itself to the girl.

"Look, I don't normally do this but I can't letcha walk off to your doom so why don't I drop you there? Whaddya say, you can ride up on my handle bars."

The kid looked at him dumbfounded as well as doubtful. After what had just happened to her could she really trust this boy? He was being too nice to her and he barely knew her, something about it didn't sit right in her stomach about this. She was about to reject his offer when she looked up into those baby blue eyes. They glimmered slightly in the morning sun and reminded her of fresh dew drops.

Not allowing herself to stare for too long this time she averted her gaze and nodded hesitantly. Chad offered a hand to her as she heaved herself up on to his handle bars but she ignored it in favor of an independent effort. He smiled slightly and shook his head at her stubbornness. He tried not to snicker when her legs flailed a little beneath her, trying to propel her further up the bike until finally she was seated on the handle bars. The blonde began peddaling slowly at first and then sped into a casual speed that would get them to the school on time as well as give him enough time to get to his school.

The girl's light brown, wavy shoulder-length hair started to billow in the wind and it barely reached his face, tickling his nose ever so slightly and caused it to crinkle. The feeling afterward however, was a warm one. He didn't know why but, he liked the thought of being able to help this girl.

"Hey eyes on the road mister!" She interjected, hurriedly patting his hand.

He didn't even notice that he had wondered onto the grass of someone's lawn and was about to run head on into an old lady tending to her garden. Chad barely veered back onto the street in time to miss the elderly woman and let out a sigh of relief while wiping the sweat off his brow.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea..." She murmured, picking at the red colored metal beneath her hand.

"No, I'm sorry. That won't happen again, I promise." He said.

The girl felt her cheeks flush a deep crimson at the sound of assurance on his voice. She nodded and didn't look back at him for the rest of the way there. Once Chad saw the school entrance come into view he veered to the right making his way to the very back of the bike racks near the far right of the school. Although he wanted to help her he had an image to keep and he couldn't let himself be compromised. Making sure none of the kids were around, he skid to a stop and allowed the girl to hop off the bike and gather herself.

She smoothed out her light gray sweater and wiped some of the dirt that had dusted onto her from her worn blue jeans. Her high tops were still covered with this dirt but she didn't seem to care. She slung her messenger bag over her shoulder and turned to face the teenager for a final good bye.

"Thanks, for everything. From now on I know, that not all teenagers are bad." She said, holding out a delicate fair-skinned hand.

The blonde teen grinned at the gesture and took her hand, shaking it with such firmness that she was pulled forward a fraction by the force.

"That may be true but it helps to keep an eye out anyways." He informed.

She nodded. Turning to finally depart from his company she found herself stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see the teenager, he looked as though he wanted to ask her something.

"Yeah?" She inquired.

"Do you mind if I ask you your name?" He asked, feeling slightly worried he would be denied the information.

The girl only giggled slightly, her small hand covering her thin pink lips.

"I don't mind, my name is Tessa. Tessa Wright." She said, offering a warm smile that emanated friendship.

He felt something tingle in his stomach when she smiled at him like that. He didn't know what it was exactly but he did know that he kinda liked the feeling.

"I'm Chad Dickson." He said, offering his own smile.

She nodded in regard to the information and waved to him.

"Well, goodbye." She said meekly before walking around the corner.

"Good bye." He said quietly, his farewell echoing in the empty air around him.

He mounted his bike once more and took off full speed toward his own school. He wasn't going to be late, he had made sure he'd have plenty of time to get there before the first bell after dropping off Tessa. He had tried to take it slow when he was riding her there, making sure not to go too fast so as not to frighten her or take any chances of her falling off and getting hurt. At first he thought the slow pace would cause him to be late but much to his content he made it back to school in time to get to his locker to get out the necessary books for his next class. Unfortunately the long ride had taken most of his energy and he began to feel the exhaustion as he trudged up the steep stairs to his first class.

Thankfully his first class was one where he wouldn't have to be pestered by all his 'admirers'. Chad took his seat in the very back row of his algebra classroom and sunk into the cool wood of the chair letting out a small breath. And so begins another Monday that will start yet another week of his teenage life. The thought almost made him groan aloud in annoyance as he thought about all the things that entitled. This Monday however was different from all the others.

The meeting of that girl was still fresh in his mind, the events of it all replaying in his head over and over. He reminisced over the recently made memories in favor of taking the unneeded notes that his teacher was writing across the black board. Even though she was younger then him, Chad thought Tessa was very pretty. Her porcelain skin and brightly jaded eyes stuck in his mind though he didn't mind it much. Her lithe figure was in those beginning stages of developing curves that would be better defined as she grew older but for now they suited her just fine.

As he thought about her appearance he remembered that she wore a silver ship wheel around her neck. Maybe she liked boating. Chad never really did anything more than canoeing with friends sometimes. As soon as he realized how long and how much he had been thinking about her he shook his head and felt a light flush creep up on his cheeks. He needed to stop himself.

She was a kid and he was a teenager. Thinking of her like that was wrong and he needed to put a stop to it. Chad decided it might be a good idea to more focus himself on the math equations on the board then on the thoughts his own mind was producing. Taking out a pencil and his notebook he began to complete the equations on the board and tried to steer his mind from thoughts of Tessa. However, there was one thing he knew for sure; no matter how much he distracted himself from it at the moment, he really hoped that maybe he could see her again.


	2. Friday

**A/N: Hey everyone! To all of you came back for more, I salute you because this is not my very best work and this chapter was a bit rushed and also was not beta'd so if I missed anything sorry :I Enjoy! ^^**

**Disclaimer: Yeah I don't own anything but Tessa so,...yeah :P**

Chapter Two: Friday

When Tessa got home on Monday there was one thing and one thing alone on her mind; Chad Dickson. The blonde teen had been kind enough as well as courteous enough to take her to school Monday after saving her from the three teen boys that were harassing her. Teenagers. The word only brought bitter feelings and unpleasant memories when she thought about how much the adolescents had tortured over the years. It especially got worse after her twelfth birthday last month, the teenage boys in her neighborhood started to pay more attention to her for some reason. She didn't really care, but sometimes it drove her nuts.

This lead her to believe that all teenagers were horrible, uncontrollable monsters that she wanted stay away from as much as she could. But on that day, one teenager changed her whole outlook on the situation. Not only did this boy save her, but he was kind enough to ensure her future safety as well by taking her to school himself. Tessa smiled slightly when the familiar warmth filled her chest as she thought about the blonde hero.

"Hey, whatcha sighin' about Numbuh 22?" A voice asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Tessa looked up at the curious face of a new friend she had made the day before at school. Her first day at Gallagher Elementary proved to be a lot better than she had thought after she befriended Wallabee Beetles, she called him Wally though, in her gym class. After giving her props for having one heck of an arm while they played dodge ball, when class was over they had a lot of time left over so they got to know each other better and better in that class as the week passed. He was kinda dumb but she didn't really care about stuff like that but he could be really funny too. Upon further conversation she discovered that he was also a part of KND and that it was in fact his sector that teamed up with her old one a few times for some missions which made her feel better about being transferred here.

"Tess?" Wally asked again waving a hand in her face.

Tessa shook her head and looked at the confused operative that sat next to her on the rickety school bus.

"Oh sorry Wally, I was just thinking about something." She mentioned vaguely.

He raised a brow at her suspiciously. "Well what is it?"

She gulped lightly not knowing if it would be wise to tell him what had transpired between her and the teen boy. Probably not a good idea, but she had to feed him something otherwise he'd never leave her alone.

"A few days ago, I may or not have been ambushed by teenagers but-"

"What? Oh where are the punks? I'll show them!" He growled impatiently, throwing a punch through the air.

"No Wally it's okay, someone helped me before they could do anything."

He looked at her curiously waiting for her to elaborate. "Who?"

"Well he may have been a teenager too but, he's different! After he helped me, he took me to school to make sure I wouldn't get jumped again." She mentioned, tapping her fingers together bashfully.

Numbuh Four grinned at her mischievously causing her to become a little suspicious. "Oh I see now, you liiiiike teen boy dontcha?"

Tessa blushed bright crimson and shook her head furiously. "Of course not! He's a teenager after all."

"Yeah but you'll be one soon wontcha?" Wally asked, covering his mouth as soon as the taboo subject left his mouth.

Tessa felt her heart sink to her stomach as this was mentioned, he shouldn't have said it but no matter how much she avoided the subject it was very true. Her thirteenth birthday was in three months and there was no stopping it. And when it came she'd be decommissioned and she'd forget everything; all her adventures and fun memories of fighting adult tyranny with her friends along with all the fun times they had in their tree house. But it had to happen and when it did she'd put on a brave face and ride it out till the very end. For now though, she felt like she might cry.

A hand placed itself on her arm and she looked over to it's owner who offered a small smile and couldn't help but smile back weakly.

"I'm sorry Tess I shouldn't have said that, you can slug me if it'll make you feel better." He offered apologetically.

She giggled at the offer but shook her head. "It's alright Wally, just promise me something okay?"

"What?"

She smiled warmly at him. "Promise me you won't let me become one of them, a teen agent enslaved by those stupid adults."

The blonde nodded with an amused grin. "I promise."

"And come visit me! I know I won't remember our adventures but that doesn't mean I don't wanna be friends."

Numbuh Four laughed and nodded, he never thought of it that way. He'd known other decommissioned kids but never thought to still be friends with them after they lost their memories of being operatives. He just assumed they'd want nothing to do with kids after they lost their memories, but maybe Tess would be different. Yes, he was going to make sure it would be different. Besides her sector and his had teamed up a few times so she got transferred here he knew they'd be friends on account of the fact of how well they worked together during those missions.

"Do you think you'll remember us?" Wally asked.

Tess shrugged, she really didn't know if she would or not. Maybe she wouldn't because being decommissioned meant she'd forget being in KND and everything about it but maybe it wouldn't erase her memory of meeting Numbuh Four at school before she knew he was an operative.

"Let's just keep our fingers crossed." She said confidently.

He nodded and they both turned their attention to the approaching sight of the school coming into vision. The bus jerked to a halt as it stopped in front of the entrance to the school. Wally and Tess hopped down from their seats and shuffled to the door along with the other kids. Once inside they exchanged farewells and headed to their homerooms. The first subject was science and today she had the pleasure of sitting through a boring lecture about the properties of water.

She slumped into her seat and let her head rest on the tops of her folded arms that were splayed across the cold wood of the desk. Trying her hardest not to nod off she kept lazy eyes open as the teacher drew a water molecule on the black board. There was only so much she wanted to know about water. Letting her mind wonder it somehow almost immediately drifted toward Chad and this caused her cheeks to grow warm. Hopefully no one noticed her sudden change in color but even so deciding not to risk it she buried her face further into her arms and covered the bottom half of her face in the sleeves of her black and purple hoodie.

Her mind was a traitorous thing though, it refused to leave the subject of the handsome teen that had offered his help to her the day before. Even after that she couldn't stop thinking about him, she wished he wasn't a teenager so they could at least go to the same school but unfortunately she would have to join him soon enough. After the upcoming summer she would turn thirteen and would finally attend junior high, a thought that sent disgusted shivers through her body. Hopefully she could just blend into the background like she had done previous years of school, a trait she was most thankful for at times. That said, she was still stuck with the fact that no matter how much she tried to push the thoughts from her mind her rescuer's face was stuck in her head and she couldn't help but feel a wave of warmth as she remembered the pulse of electricity she had felt when he shook her hand.

She wondered if he felt it too, most likely not because she was just some kid he decided to help out and probably out of pity at that. Letting out a small sigh into the soft fabric of her sleeves Tess decided it would be best for her to try and forget about him. It's not like she would ever see him again anyways do why indulge herself in the thought? She would however remember his kindness as well as what she had told him; that not all teenagers were bad but she also had to keep in mind what he had told her. Even if that was true she needed to keep a close eye out for the other ones that weren't so nice.

The bell's long and high pitched ringing was what pulled her out of her thoughts and she quickly shoved her books into her bag and walked to the door along with the other kids. After two more classes it was lunch time and she was finally able to rest her brain. As she moved out of the lunch line she noticed Wally was the first one to sit at his sector's designated table and decided to give him some company. His eyes perked up as he noticed her walking toward him.

"Hey Tess! How's you're second day been mate?" He asked as she sat down with her tray.

"Ah nothing to sneeze at, although Mr. Cremler's whole spiel on water this morning nearly put me to sleep." She said with a teasing grin.

He laughed at the situation and shook his head. "He nearly puts me to sleep when he talks about anything."

Tess giggled at the prospect before placing a spoon full of potatoes in her mouth.

"Thank God it's Friday, eh?" He said raising his milk carton.

She nodded and raised hers as well.

"So where's the rest of your team? Isn't Hoagie usually here before you?" She asked, making sure not to let any of the chewed food escape her mouth as she spoke.

"Now that you mention it, I don't really know." He said carefully as he looked around the cafeteria.

Tess looked around too and it didn't take too long for her to spot Numbuh Three skipping out of line with her tray.

"Hi Numbuh Four! Hi Numbuh Twenty Two! " She greeted cheerily as she took a seat next to Wally.

"Hey Kuki." Tess said with a smile.

Wally merely nodded to her and she began to eat. Tess noticed the cafeteria doors opening and looked over to see if it was someone from their sector. Just as she assumed; the sector's leader Nigel Uno, also known as Numbuh One, approached the table with a brown paper bag in hand.

"Oh hello Numbah Twenty Two, nice to see you joining us again today." He said with a surprised smile as he sat down next to her.

Tess laughed lightly. "Relax Nigel, just because I'm older than you guys doesn't mean you're not 'cool enough' to be around me. Besides we're all friends here." She said with a friendly grin.

Numbuh One laughed nervously and let out a small sigh of relief. "That's good to hear, I got the message from Numbuh Three Sixty Two this morning about your residence and although you're not an original member of our sector, since your parents have decided to move your family into this area, she would like you to become a part of Sector V. If that's alright with you."

Tess was more than alright with that, she was ecstatic! More than pleased with the news she nodded eagerly.

"Good, welcome to Sector V." He said formally, although he had a ghost of a smile on his face.

Tess hugged him tightly in a bone crushing grip.

"Thank you!" She said gratefully as she released him.

He smoothed out the wrinkles from his sweater and laughed sheepishly while he nodded. Wally grinned at her and Numbuh Three babbled happily about how much fun they were gonna have now that there was another going to be another girl in the treehouse.

The rest of the school day was bearable knowing that when it was all over she would be going home to a familiar place and she couldn't wait. When the final bell rang Tess bolted for the door and immediately made her way outside to the bus loop. On her way out though, as she turned the corner of a hallway that would lead to the exit of the school, she bumped into something big and the impact pushed her to the ground in a daze. She rubbed her head to sooth the small ache the fall had given her and slowly rose to her feet.

"Hey, what gives just slamming into me like-" The angry voice stopped.

Tess looked up to meet the face of the upset person and her eyes widened at the sight.

**Psh, like we all don't know who it's gonna be :I But I'm still gonna make ya wait! ;D Ta!**


	3. Everyday

**A/N: Again, if you're still following this I am so grateful. This is just a big sappy fluffy mess to me but I'm so glad you all like it! ^-^ (Oh and just a warning this was un-beta'd so there are probably some errors...just sayin')**

**Disclaimer: Yeah I don't own anything but Tessa and the plot so,...yeah :P**

Chapter Three: Everyday

"What gives just slamming into me like-" The angry voice stopped.

Tess looked up hesitantly to meet the face of the upset person and her eyes widened at the sight. It was Chad. But this didn't make sense, he was a teenager what was he doing at an elementary school? His baby blue eyes softened at the sight of her and he rubbed the back of his neck anxiously.

"I don't understand, what are you doing here? This is an elementary school." She queried, her innocent green eyes wide with question.

As he took in the sight of her for a second time he felt his ears warm up when the realization of how cute she really was came into his mind.

"I intern here for my last class, I tutor kids in study hall." He informed her, maintaining a steady tone in his voice as he spoke.

"Oh." was all she could manage to say to him.

He stepped aside to allow her access to the double door exit behind him.

"You should probably get going or you'll miss your bus." He said almost in a mumble as he motioned for the door.

Tess nodded as she slowly walked past the blonde teen. As she placed a hand on the cold metal of the handle she stops and turns the face the boy once more and notices him staring at her as she's leaving. He blushes brightly when she catches him and quickly draws his attention to the ground where there are papers and a few books scattered on the ground from when she hit him. She watches with a small smile as he kneels down to pick up the items, a flustered expression plastered onto his face. Looking out the small window of the door she notices that her bus driver along with a few others were conversing by the curb which probably meant she still had some time left.

Tessa decided it would only be fair of her to help him since she was the cause of his delay as well as the spilling of his load. Kneeling across from him she began to help him pick up some of the papers and put them in a neat stack in next to her. Chad looked at her with slight shock flickering in his eyes.

"You don't have to." He said taking the stack she had made and sliding it into a folder he was holding.

"You didn't have to either but you did." She said with a knowing smile.

He grinned at her and continued picking up paper. When he had gathered all the things he had dropped they exchanged a glance that didn't last very long because Tess found herself unable to maintain her cool around this teenager for some reason. Chad smirked at her, even though he was a bit nervous himself he could keep a straight face from years of experience.

"So I guess I should go now." She mumbled still not looking at him, a light pink staining her cheeks.

"Then what's keepin' ya?" He asked cockily as he took a step toward her.

Tessa's eyes widened at his boldness and she found herself very flustered at the attention. She was about to take a step toward the door when suddenly her face was being cupped by two soft hands that belonged to the blonde teen before her and before she could even think to ask why he had done this his lips on hers silenced any protests she had. Spring green eyes widened and her face turned a dark crimson as she received her first kiss from the impulsive boy. He wasn't rough with her though, in fact he was quite the opposite as it appeared. Her hands and arms were limp noodles as the contact continued and she felt helpless to stop something she found she didn't really have a problem with.

When he finally released her and their lips parted Tessa took in small breaths and felt so nervous that couldn't move. All through her body was this tingling sensation and her face was so warm she felt it could

melt ice. What was she supposed to do now? This boy, whom she had only met yesterday, had stolen her first kiss without so much as a second thought. She wasn't allowed much time to think before a familiar touch gently pushed her chin up to look into blue eyes that were bright with an emotion she couldn't recognize.

"Tessa, I'm really sorry about this. I shouldn't have done that." He said sincerely, those the glimmer in his eyes betrayed him.

She remained silent.

"You can punch me if you want, I wouldn't blame ya. I probably took your first kiss." He said, a mocking grin spreading itself across his face.

Tessa turned bright red and she felt like she really was gonna punch him but she kept her hands at her sides.

"I'm not gonna punch you, but there is one thing you can do for me."

Chad looked at her curiously. "What?"

"Why? I'm younger than you and you don't know me at all. So why kiss me?" She inquired, her voice so soft it sounded like that of an even smaller child.

Chad swallowed lightly before running a hand through his hair uncomfortably.

"I wish I could tell you but, I'm not really sure. When I saw you Monday, getting bullied by those boys something snapped in me. I felt like I had to help you. And you were so brave even when you knew you were outnumbered and far after you had been defeated. I really like girls like you I guess." He said bashfully, brushing the ground with the sole of his shoe.

Tessa felt her heart beat faster and faster with every word he spoke and she felt like it was going to burst when he mentioned the last part. She truly didn't know what to say but she did know one thing.

"I really like boys like you, the ones that aren't afraid to stand up for the little guy and think of others instead of just for themselves. What you did for me that day was the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me, not only did you save me but you made sure I stayed safe by taking me to school and to be honest; I've been thinking about it...and you all week."

Chad felt like his heart might stop after she said this, he'd been thinking about her too. Maybe there was hope for them yet but on thing still proved to be a most unwelcome obstacle; their age difference. He was thirteen and she was probably like ten or something, this could never work.

"There's something that I can't overlook though," No matter how much he wanted to. "I'm thirteen and you're like ten years old, it wouldn't be right for me to-"

"I'm not ten." She said quickly.

Chad blinked at the information.

"What?"

"I'm not ten years old, I'm twelve." She said a sheepish smile appearing on her small pink lips.

The blonde felt himself grin like an idiot as he realized she'd be his age soon enough so he wouldn't have to feel guilty about liking her.

"Oh that's such a relief." He breathed out, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"I'll say, I thought you were like fifteen." She said, light laughter trailing after her words.

"So, now that we've figured that out," He looked deeply into her eyes. "Would you wanna go steady with me?" He asked carefully.

Tessa blushed at the question and looked away from the blonde's piercing gaze. She didn't know if she was ready for that yet but she did know that she really did like Chad so maybe it was worth giving a shot. Nodding hesitantly she felt herself grow happier with her decision as his eyes lit up at her answer. Not expecting what was going to happen next, Tessa let out a small noise of surprise when the teen threw his arms around her small form and whirled her in a circle.

"This is great, I promise I won't make you regret this Tessa." He said happily as he touched their foreheads together.

Tessa giggled quietly and nodded, let his warm eyes bore into hers. The roar of a great number of engines caused them to jump a little and Tessa parted from him quickly to look out the window.

"Shoot." She muttered to herself as the buses began to depart with out her aboard.

"Do you want me to take you home?" He asked courteously, taking her small hand into his.

She smiled at the gesture and nodded. He lead her to the far east exit of the school where the bike racks were, now empty of all the bikes that were there this morning except for Chad's red one which leaned firmly against the metal bars of the old rack. Still not allowing Chad to help her, Tessa pulled herself onto the handle bars and situated herself onto the make shift seat. He shook his head at her stubbornness and started pedaling them home. Halfway there Tessa felt large hands brush against hers and she moved them over a bit to allow the owner to place his on hers in an affectionate grip.

"You can't keep your hands off me for too long can you?" She asked teasingly.

Chad's adolescent male mind cultivated a number of ways that could be taken differently but decided to spare her innocence, besides he liked it better if she didn't know about that stuff for a while.

"Guess not." He said boldly into her ear.

Tessa felt her body shiver as his breath hit the shell of her ear, an alien feeling but suggestive nonetheless. She had a lot to learn and unfortunately once she entered junior high school Chad wouldn't be the only one teaching her. Though she had a feeling he would remedy that. The thought appealed to her greatly and she hummed contentedly at the idea of having him as her protector.

**There ya go my lovelies! Hope you liked it, more to come on this one c:**


End file.
